Hamid SULTONOV

04.12.13-OPEN LETTER – IHF

Open Letter

President of Uzbekistan

H.E. Islam Abduganievich Karimov

Tashkent, Uzbekistan

via facsimile +998 (71) 139 5315

Vienna, 13 December 2004

Dear President Karimov,

I am writing on behalf of the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF) concerning assaults against our colleague Mr. Talib Yakubov, the Chairman of the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan, a Cooperating Organization of the Helsinki Federation.

On 29 November 2004, Mr. Yakubov announced that he would organize a demonstration in Djisak to support Hamid Sultonov, a former banker unlawfully detained.

Unknown persons accosted Mr. Yakubov and his wife Tursum as they proceeded to the demonstration, and seized their placards. Later on, others physically assaulted Mr. Yakubov and his wife, necessitating that Mr. Yakubov received medical treatment at a hospital. Police observed the assault and took no action.

On 7 December 2004, Mr. Yakubov was verbally harassed by a group of 100 people we believe were brought to Djisak for this purpose; they demanded that Mr. Yakubov stop his demonstrations on behalf of Mr. Sultonov.

0n 10 December 2004, several women verbally and physically attacked Mr. Yakubov. Several leading authorities in Djisak witnessed these assaults and took no action.

Dear Mr. President Karimov, we would appreciate your attention to this case in order that these incidents are objectively and professionally investigated and those responsible for assaulting Yakubov are identified, charged and tried.